Elastic coupling



" y 1935- D. A. CARPENTER 2,000,217

LA UPLING Original Filed Feb. 23, 1932 ,3 Sheets-Sheet l y 7, 19,354 D.A. CARPENTER 2,000,217 ELASTIC COUPLING .Original Filed Feb. 23, 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 2 M y 1935- D. A. CARPENTER 2,000,217

ELASTIC COUPLING I Original Filed Feb. 25, 1932 s Sheets-Shef 3 o l lPatented May 7, 1935 PATENT OFFICE ELASTIC COUPLING Daniel A. Carpenter,New York, N. Y.

\ 'Application'February23, 1932, Serial No. 5945761 Renewed October '11,1934 16 Claims.

' This invention relates toimprovements in elastic couplingswhichcomprise metal springs. Objects of it are to better such couplings inconstruction and mode of operation and to render them fit for new uses.Couplings embodying it in 'a truck-'wheel'or bus-wheel "and the other inthe support ofthe main frame of an automobile:

*Fig. 1 is-a side elevation of the form of cou- *pling that is containedin the wheel, the composite spring consisting of coiled wire compo-*nents; V

l'* ig."2,a sectional elevation of a portion .-of the wheL in which-thisandoth'er like couplings are embodied, "the plane of the sectioncontaining the axis ofthe wheel,

Fig.3, a sectiona-l-elevation of a "fragment of the wheel, the plane-ofthe section :being at right anglesto 'the axis and containing the lineI3-3 Fig. "2, and the'direction of "the view being indicatcd bythearrow' at the left oif' th'e figure;

*Fig. 4, a side view of one of the coiled wire springs which arecomponents of the composite 'spring represented in'F-ig. 1;

FigLE, an edge view thereo'f and a side view of "a rod and 'fragment ofanother :rod which rods t-he-coup'ling embodieathe direction of the viewbeing indicated by the arrow at the right of Fig. 4; Fig.6, -a plan of agroup of eight coiled wire springs like that represented in Figs. 4and-5; 7, a"face=view-of'oneof the bars-of which edge views are shown inFig. 1, and which are components -*of the spring-holding andspringilexing-gear;

,"Fig. '8, a view of the outer faceof the wheel;

F'ig'.*9,-'a plan of abraket which is included in theother'form'ofic'oupling;

Fig. l0, a sectional-elevation of a portion of this coupling, whichportion includes this bracket,

"the ase'ctional plane containing the line ill-T0,

l igfil;

F-ig.- I 1,=-a face -=viewof a slotted plate'included in the spring-'hol'ding and-spring flexing gear;

Fig. 12, an edge view of this plate;

Fig. 13, a .planof a fragment of the lever which is cut lengthwise bythe plane of Fig..'10, this fragment including the inner arm of thelever; which arm has two branches, one of which is -;5 shown in Fig.

:Fig. .14, aplanof that fragment and some com ponents of the compositespring;

Fig. 15, a fragmental view of detailsof construction; and l0 Fig. 16, aside elevation of a wheel and fragment of the main frame of anautomobile, and a pair of couplings. which arecomprised in the supportof the frame.

The spring-holding and spring-flexing gear of I each of the illustratedformsof the coupling com prises components which are relatively movableand adapted to'be attached to objects that are to be connected together.by the coupling.

The gear of the particular coupling that is represented in Fig. 1 iscomposed of four bars and two rods. Each of these bars is a-duplicateofthe :bar I shown in Fig.7. In it are the s1ot'2 and the hole 4. Eachofthe rods,5, 5, is a duplicate of the other. The composite spring I ofthis coupling consists of a set of components each of which is aduplicate of the coiled wire spring 1 shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Theapproximately semicircular bends 8 and '9 at its ends'fit loosely on therods '5 5.

Thescale of Fig. '7 is the same as that of Figs. 4,5 and'fi, twice thatof Fig. '1, three-times that of Figs. 2 and 3, and four timesthat ofFig. 8, the diameter of the entire wheel which the last-named figurerepresents being thirty-six inches.

The rods 5 5 pass through the slots inthe bars arranged as shown (Figs.1 and 3) andeach component of the spring 6 is connected to these rods bythe bends 8 and 9, and the spring is stressed so that it keeps theserodsatthe ends 40 of the slots except when it is flexed by a'force orforces acting on the coupling and'pushing or drawing one or each of therods towards the other. Rods H and 12 pass through the holes 4 in thebars I. a The spring .6 is composed of two groups of components 1, thecoils of which groups con stitute symmetrical formations (Fig.6) betweenwhich passes the plane that contains the axes of the rods 5 5. The wiresare arranged in pairs, 50 one wire of each pair being in one group andthe other wire being in the other group, and each. pair being bisectedby a plane that is perpendicular to the axes of the spring-holding rodsand that passes between the bends 8 and 9 of each component of the pair.Four pairs are represented in Fig. 6, each pair including two bends 8and two bends 9. One bend 8 and one bend 9 are connected to the upperrod and the other bends are connected to the lower rod, and the bend 8of one component and bend 9 of the other are directly over the otherbends 8 and 9 respectively of the pair.

The composite spring 6 (Fig. 1) consists of twenty pairs of coiled wirecomponents I (Fig. 4). Obviously a similar spring may be composed of alarger or smaller number of pairs, the

components of similar springs may be wires of ponents of a spring may bevariously stressed. the springs Hence the strength and elasticity of maybe widely varied.

A coupling having the construction and dimensions represented in Figs. 1and 4-7, the spring being made of music-wire and adequately stressed,will transmit several hundred pounds of pressure or tensile force. Ifthe spring is subjected to pressure that forces either or each of therods II and "towards the other, or to tensile force that draws either oreach of those rods from the other, so that the coupling is eithershortened or extended, the spring is flexed by the action of the bars Ion the rods 5, 5 and that of the rods 5, 5 on the spring, one or eachrod 5 then sliding in the slots2 of twoof the bars I. The spring may beso flexed until the wire bends 8 and 9 on one of the rods are broughtinto contact with the wire bends 8 and 9 on the other rod. I

Eighteen couplings, each a duplicate of that above described, are"contained in the wheel the construction of which is illustrated inFigs. 2 and 3. The hub .I3,.web I4, and rim I5 having the flanges I6with flat and smooth cuter faces, area rigid unit. They may be formedtogether or separately formed and fastened together. The axle I I may ormay not turn with the wheel. The rim I8 to which is aflixed the rubbertread S is the rim proper of the wheel. It surrounds the inner rim I5,and the plates 29 and 2| extending inwardly from it and attached to itand having flat and smooth inner faces form lateral annular wallsbetween which the inner rim is confined and is movable radiallyv andangularly, the plates 20 and 2| guiding it by acting on the flanges I6.One of these plates is detachable from the rim I8 while the other ispreferably formed on or permanently fastened to the rim. Plate 2| isshown attached by bolts 22 to lugs 23 on the outer rim, and if the boltsare removed maybe pulledout of rim I8.

Each coupling is inserted between the flanges I6-and attached to them bya rod I|.- The rod is pushed through a hole in one of the flanges I6,then through theholes 4 in the bars I that reach to the inner end of thecoupling, andthen into a hole in the other flange. I6. Thereafter theends of the rod are in the flanges and may be between or in the planesof their outer faces. The outer rim is pushed over the inner rim andcouplings, or they are pushed into it, thenthe couplings are connectedto the plate 29 by means of the rods I2, and then the platezl is put onand fastened by the bolts 22. The rods I2 pass through the bars I thatextend to the inner surface of the rim I8 and they flt in holes in thepl tes 20 and The concavo convex rings and 25 are attached at theirouter edges to the plates 23 and 2| respectively and connected with thehub by means which enables them readily to be detached from it. Theyprevent dirt from getting into the spaces between the hub and inner rim.They are elastic or flexible for they must yield whenever the inner rimso moves as to change its relation to the outer rim.

All of the couplings coact in supporting the load imposed on the rim I8,except when the axes of the rods 5, 5 of a coupling, or of each of twocouplings, are in a horizontal plane, couplings being subjected totensile stress when theircouter ends are above that plane and topressure when their outer ends are below that plane, and of course theportion of the load supported by each coupling continually varies as thewheel rotates. When the load is not great enough to flex the .springs ifthe wheel is not turning, the axis of the hub and that of thecylindrical rim I8 coincide. They may be separated momenta.- rily byjolting of the load as the wheel rolls on the road.

While the gear and spring of the other illustrated form of the couplingseverally differ in appearance from those composing the above-describedform, yet these two forms of the coupling are essentially alike inrespect of their main features of construction and their modes ofoperation.

Two couplings of the form to be describedare represented in Fig. 16.They coact in supporting the load. They are hinged together by the pin26 and fastened by two bolts, one of which is the bolt 21, to axle-case28 of the wheel 29. The arms 30 3| to which the main frame 32 isattached are components of the spring-holding and spring-flexing gear.The side 33 of the rear coupling is the side 33 of the bracketrepresented in Fig. 9, this side and the other side 34 .of the bracketbeing alike in size and shape. vThey are formed on the base 35 of thebracket on which are a pair of upper lugs 36 3'Iand a pair of lower lugs38 39. The brackets of the couplings represented in Fig. 16 fit togetheras indicated in that figure and in Fig. 9, a portion of the outline ofthe front bracket being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9. The pin 26(Fig. 16) passes through the lugs 38 S9 of each bracket and the bolt 21and another like it pass through the lugs 36 31.

The arm 30, the hub 40 andthe parallel arms 4| 42 are fast together(Figs. 16, 10, 13,14, 15). Whenthe coupling is finished they form alever mounted on the bolt 43 which passes through hub 4|) and the sides33 and 34 of the bracket (Figs.

10, 15), the arms 4| 42 being within the bracket and the lever beingsupported by it. The outline of arm 4| is the sameas that of arm 42(Figs. 10 13) and in 4| are slots like the slots 44 45 in arm 42.

The front and rear sides of each of these four slots are curvedsurfaces, their lateraledges being arcs and the centers of the circlescontaining them being on the axis of bolt 43. p The flat plate 46 (Figs.11, 12) fits loosely between side 34 of the bracket and arm 42 of thelever. The lugs 41 48 of the plate extend into therecesses 49 '50 inthebracket, and bolt 43 passes through hole 5| in the plate. The slots 5253 in the plate are likethe slots 44 45 respectively in arm 42 of thelever and register with them respectively when the lever is in itsnormal position, shown in Fig. 10. Another flat plate 54 (Fig. 15), aduplicate of plate 46, is confined between side 33 of the bracket andarm4| of the lever:by 1bo1t :43 passing :through it, and by the lugsextendingrinto recessesginathe:bracket,sonezof these being themecess :55(Fig. 7) and .thecother being-similar to recess .50-(Fig. I0) and beingat theFbottom of rthebracket under recessr55.

The sleeve .56:extends through thehub 40, S111:- rounding .bolt -=43:and Ifitting loosely in .the hub, sand is .intcontact at 'aits .endswith the :plates :46 and54. Thewsleeve is "slightly longer than the hub,so that :although :the :sides of =the1bracket, .th'e'plates :465and 154and the sleeve are 'tightly bolted i-togetherithe hub mayturn freely .onthe "sleeve.

ifl-hezrods 15:! iandt58pass through-slot :44 in arm :42 [ref :the.:lever, and through the -.corresponding .slotszin arm :4:l--and.p'lates 46 .andr54. .The rods 59.and 60 ,pass throughslot 45 in arm :42of .the lever :and through the corresponding slots :in arm 41 andvplates 4.6 .:and 15:4. .These :four rods areralikeandarelcoseiintheslots. -3A stressed composite spring ;consisting-o'f .te .wire zsbowsi6 I .is :connected .at its ends to -rods 51 -andt58. Five of vthesebows'are shown:in:Fig. 14, each having bends forming :hooks 62 at its@ends which Lhooks .fiton the rods 51 and 58. Another stressedicomposite spring consisting of ten wire bows163ris connectedat its endsto rods 59 .and 60. .Five of :these 'bows are shownin Fig. 14, 'eachhaving rbendsi'forming hooks 6.4 .at its ends which :hooksrfiton therods59 and 60.

The :wire composing the springs of a coupling sisoisuch sizeandthesprings are sonstressed'that the weight supported .by the couplingdoes'not turthersbend thesprings when the automobile'is not loaded ormoving. Then the springs keep :rods 51 and 59 at the upper ends of the:slots in plates "46 and 54, andkeep rods58 and 1.60 at the lower ends ofthose slots, and arms 4| :and 42 of the lever are kept in their normalpositions .by the action of rods .58and B0 on the lower ends ofitheslots in the arms,-each of those slots then registering fromend toend with the corresponding'sl'ots-in plates 4.6 and 54."Thecweightimposed 'on arm 3fl of :thelever acts on vrods 58 :and 360,:arms '4 I and 42 tending :to .raisethemtagainst :th'e-action. of vthesprings. When the :springsare i-fiexe'd'rby the :action of the leveronthose :rods which then move upward, rods 51 and 15.8 are prevented:from moving upwardbythe tops of the-slots inplates 46 and 54. If theload 11'8- bounds: after a jolt so that the outer endlrofarm 530 of :theleveris'drawn above its normalposition its .movement upward from thatposition is resisted by 'the springs, arms 4| :and 42 .ofithelever"thenzpulling dcwnrods'Sl andt59 and'fiexing the springs, whichcannotforce rods :58 and 5.6.0 downward 'forthey are then at the lowerends of the slots in :plates "46 and 54.

[I'hoselplates are held tight in the :bracket by lthesbolt 43 and lugs'41 and 48sacting'onithebase of the bracket in the recesses abovedescribed.

"Thellever, rods, springs, :sleeve 56 sand plates :46 and 54 may beassembled into a sunitr'before the lever is mounted inthesupportingbracket. 'IIhe portion-of this unit thatbelongs in'thebracket may be pushed intoand adjusted iin'the bracket to side of the'b-racket, so that the interior thereof -may form'a closed chamberprotecting the springs from'dirtand the weather and, if desired,containing lubricant'for the springs and gear.

The gear of a coupling embodying the invention may be :pivotallyzattaohed to .rboth :obiieicts which it connects together, asitiisyinithe'edcseribedwheel (Fig.3) ,:;or azeompcnentaof the gear maybe 'rpivotally'iattached ctolcne zpfithe objects,

and :another component mayytbe itightly aflixed to. the other .object:as thee-described abracketiis fastened :to the; axle,cas.e v of itheautomobile.

- ,Althoug'htheforegoing xiescriptiomisyintended :iully :to explain .thevclaimed invention, .it :is believed to :be evident .that;it may :beembodied in iforms rdifiering from those that shave :been :par-;ticularly described, and put to :uses mot mentionedihereinbut-madenbviousxhycommon-ikriowl strength andq elasticity, :and'of qitss metrycand smoothness (inaction. l

Whatis claimed is: v

- 11. v Anselastic{couplingsembodyingi the combination ofzspring-rholding ;and rspri-ngefiexing gear andp-a composite metalspring, whichigear :comprises. a pair :of relatively anovable (springrholders and devices :that -;suppor,t1the holders and :spring :and :form(holder-guides, "the springeholders zhaving aparallel ilongitudina-l 1axes, and which cspring composedcof bent compc'nentseseverally held v attheir :endsron andssuportedz by stheaspringehclders and arranged a closetogether inzasgroup icthatiezx: tends lengthwise not :the springgholdersz and nthroughout :its length is .xccntiguous ito reach. (of

.themand projects zirom the;plane:that contains theirsaidraxes andzfrom'the ends ofewhichpgroup .thespring-holders project and extend to theirsupporting devices, and whichuspning iexertsrprese sure that ;istransmitted ito ;said devices by the spring-holders constantlyzzariti-ng arm lithe lzguides, and :acting son 'each rguide-at; bo'thsends unless spring-flexing :force; isiapplied :to the ico'upling. 2.irmelasticicoupling embodyingrthewcomblnation .'of spring-holdingaspring-zflexingzjgear and a composite metal spring; which :egear coni-:prises a pair of relatively movable a'spfinghold :ers, andholder-supporting and ihol'ders'guiding devices that "form fiat face'dguides in which "each spring-holder is confined, the 'spring holdershaving parallel longitudinal axes tliiatt pass :through the-guides andare perpen'dicularto 't'he pla nes of their faces, 'andwhich spring" sd' t components. severallyf held at their 'ends on supported by, thespring-holders :and arranged .close together in a group that extends"length-wise of .the .springeholders,and'throughout .its length .iscontiguous toeach'. of them. and projects Ifrom the .plane.thatcontainstheir said Iaxes,.anfd 1irom the ends of which. group the;spring-holders project and (extend :to '.their supporting devices, andwhich; spring --exerts pressure that .is -.transmitted to :said :devices:by :the ispring eholders constantly acting on the guides and acting oneach gu d iat both 'ends unless spring-flexing force is applied to thecoupling. a i

3. An elastic coupling embodying the combina tion of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and a compositemetal spring, which gear-comprisesa'pair of relatively movable spring-holders and devices-that support theholders and spring and form holder-guides, the spring-holders havingparallellongitudinal axes, and which spring is composed of coiled wiresseverally held at their ends onand-supported-by the spring-holders andarranged close together in a group which-extends lengthwise of thespring-holders and projects from the plane containing their said axesand the wires of whicli are close-together on the spring-holdersthroughout the length of the group, and from the ends of which group thespring-holders project and extend to their supporting devices, the coilsof the'wires'being close-wound spirals the axes of which are parallel tothose of the spring-holders. 4. Anelastic coupling embodying thecombination of spring-holding and. spring-flexing gear and a compositemetal spring, which gear comprises apair of relatively movablespring-holders and holder-supporting and holder-guiding means, thespring-holders having parallel longitudinal axes and said means formingparallel holderguides, and which spring is composed of bent componentssupported by the spring-holders and arranged close together in a groupwhich extends lengthwise of the spring-holders andfrom the ends of whichthe spring-holders project and extendto their supporting and guidingdevices.

5; An elastic coupling-embodying the combina tion of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and a composite'metal spring, which gear comprises apair of relatively movable spring-holders and holder-supporting andholder-guiding means, the spring-holders having parallel longitudinalaxes and said means forming parallel holderguides, and which spring iscomposed of coiled wires severally held at their ends on and supportedby -the spring-holders and arranged close together in a group thatextends along the springholders and forms symmetrical projections at thesides of the plane that contains their said axes, and from the ends ofwhich group the springholders project and extend to their supporting andguiding devices. a i i 6. An elastic coupling embodying the combinationof spring-holding and spring-flexing gear and a composite metal spring,which gear comprises a pair of parallel and relatively movablespring-holding rods'and rod-supporting and rodgu'iding devices, andwhich spring consists of bent wire components each havingat its endsrod-fitting bends by which it is-connected tothe ,rods, the bends beingclose together on the rods and forming rows which extend along them andfrom the ends-of which the rods project and extend to their supportingand guiding devices.

7. Anelastic coupling embodying the combination of spring-holding andspring-fiexing gear and a composite metal spring, which gear comprisesapair of. parallel spring-holding rods and flat-faced rod-supporting androd-guiding devices, the axes of the rods being perpendicular to thefiat faces of said devices, and which spring consists of bent wirecomponents each having at its ends rod-fitting bends by which it isconnected to the rods, the bends being close together on the rods andforming rows which extend along them and from the ends of which the'rodsproject and extend to their supporting andguiding devices. 1

porting and holder-guiding devices, the spring- I.

holders having parallel longitudinal axes, and which spring consists ofdifferently stressed components severally supported at their ends by thespring-holders and arranged in a group that extends lengthwise of thespring-holders and pro jects from the plane that contains their saidaxes.

9. An elastic coupling embodying the combination of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and a" composite metal spring, which gear comprisesa pair of relatively movable spring holde'rs and holder-supporting andholder-guiding means, the springhold'ers' having parallel longitudinalaxes and said means forming parallel holderguides, and which spring iscomposed of bent components supported by the spring-holders and con.- stituting symmetrical formations projecting from the plane that containssaid axes and extending lengthwise of the spring-holders along and onopposite sides of that plane. 10. An elastic coupling embodying thecombination of spring-holding and spring-flexing gear and a compositemetal spring, which gear comprises a pair of relatively movablespringholders and holder-supporting and holder-guiding means, thespring-holders having parallel longitudinal axes and said means formingparallel holder-guides, and which spring is composed of two minor groupsof bent components severally supported at their ends by thespring-holders, the two minor groups forming a major group emb'odyingsymmetrical formations that project from the plane containing said axesand extend lengthwise of the spring-holders along and on opposite sidesof that plane.

11. An elastic coupling embodying the combination of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and a composite metal spring, which gear comprises apair of relatively movable springholders and holder-supporting andholder-guiding means, the'spring-holders having parallel longitudinalaxes and said means forming parallel holder-guides, and which spring iscomposed of two minor groups of coiled wires severally supported attheir ends by the spring-holders, the two minor groups constituting amajor group the coils' of'which form rows that extend lengthwise of thespring holders and along and on opposite sides of the plane thatcontains their said axes.

12. An elastic coupling embodying the combination of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and'a composite metal spring, which gear comprisesapair of relatively movable springholders and holder-supporting andholder-guiding means, the spring-holders having parallel longitudinalaxes and said means forming parallel holder-guides, and which springconsists of a group of coiled wires arranged in pairs and severallysupported at their ends by the springholders, the coils, of each pairbeing on opposite sides of the plane that contains said axes and beingcut by a plane that cuts said axes at right angles and passes betweenthe ends of each wire of the pair.

13. An elastic coupling embodying the combination of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and 'a composite metal spring, which gear comprisesa pair of relatively movable springholders and holder-supporting andholder-guiding means, the spring-holders having parallel longitudinalaxes and said means forming parallel holder-guides, and a component ofwhich spring is a pair of coiled wires each supported at its ends by thespring-holders, the coils being on opposite sides of the plane thatcontains said axes and being cut by a plane that cuts said axes at rightangles and passes between the ends of each wire of the pair.

14. An elastic coupling embodying the combination of spring-holding andspring-flexing gear and a composite metal spring, which gear comprises apair of relatively movable springholders and four flat-faced andlongitudinally slotted bars the slots in which are straight and of equallength, the spring-holders having parallel longitudinal axes and eachholder being confined near each of its ends in slots of two of the bars,said axes being perpendicular to the flat faces of the bars and theplane that contains those axes bisecting each slot longitudinally, andwhich spring consists of a group of coiled wires arranged in pairs andseverally supported at their ends by the spring-holders, the coils ofeach pair being on opposite sides of said plane and being cut by a planethat cuts said axes at right angles and passes between the ends of eachwire of the pair.

15. In an elastic coupling embodying a pair of relatively movablespring-holders having parallel longitudinal axes, the combination withthe spring-holders of a pair of coiled elastic wires each supported atits ends by the spring-holders, the coils being on opposite sides of theplane that contains said axes and being cut by a plane that cuts thefirst mentioned plane at right angles and passes between the ends ofeach wire of the pam 16. An elastic coupling embodying the combinationof spring holding and spring-flexing gear and a composite metal spring,which gear comprises a pair of relatively movable springholders andholder-supporting and holder-guiding means, the spring-holders havingparallel longitudinal axes, and which spring consists of wires each heldat its ends on and supported by the spring-holders, which wires areclose together on the spring-holders and compose symmetrical formationsprojecting from the plane that contains said axes, and the wires of eachof which formations are close together.

DANIEL A. CARPENTER.

